Gear-shifting apparatus.



H. R. DE BRA.

GEAR SHIFTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23. 19:6.

Patented Jan. 9, 1917.

314mm HA. 065/12 HARVEY 1a. DE BRA. OF CAMERON, MISSOURI.

GEAR-SHIFTING APPARATUS.

Application filed May 23, 1916.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARVEY R. DE BRA, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cameron, in the county of Clinton and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gear-Shifting Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in selector devices for shifting gearing from high, low, medium or neutral and consists in the provision of a means in substitution of the usual H-selector plate upon gear shifting mechanism for automobiles, etc., and comprises a simple and eflicient device of this nature so arranged that the lever may be actuated positively without the disadvantages and dangers of the ordinary gear shift.

My invention consists of a simple and eflicient device of this nature having various details of construction, combinations and arrangements of parts which will be hereinafter fully described, shown in the accompanying .drawings and then specifically delined in the appended claim.

I illustrate my invention in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective View of my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view showing the shifting lever in section and in adjusted positions in dotted lines.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates a sta tionary plate having an angular outlined opening, as shown clearly in the drawings, and which is adapted to be fastened to the floor of a car. The shifting lever, designated by letter B, is hinged at C to the oscillating plate D, which latter is adapted to be mounted upon 'a suitable bearing passing through the apertures D therein, thus affording means for giving the lever a lateral as well as back and forth movement incident to throwing the gear high, low or neutral. A diamond-shaped plate, designated by letter E, is mounted upon the lever B and, when in the position shown in solid lines in Figs. 1 and 2, is at neutral.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1917.

Serial No. 99,866. i

In the drawings H, I, K and L designate angled end recesses in the plate A in which the shifting plate E is adapted to be positioned accordingly as the lever is thrown to positions representing respectively reverse, medium, high and low.

Assuming that the parts are in neutral position, as shown in Fig. 1, and it is desired to throw the lever to a low position, the operator by pushing the lever slightly to the left and in the same movement pulling back upon the lever until the point E of the plate E clears the point J, the lever will swing back into the recess L which will adjust the gear mechanism to low. When the lever is at neutral and it is desired to throw the gear to medium, the operator by pushing forward and slightly to the right until the point E of the plate E passes by the point N and a further pushing forward upon the lever B will throw the plate E into therecess I, thus adjusting the gear for medium speed. To adjust the gear mechanism for high speed, when the lever is first positioned at neutral, the operator by pulling backward and slightly to the right may cause the plate E to engage the recess K. In the event of it being desired to throw the plate E from low when positioned in the recess L to reverse position, in which the plate will be positioned in the recess H, a straight forward movement would be imparted to the lever B bearing slightly to the left and, should it be desired to throw the plate E from high, in which the plate E would be positioned in the recess K, to reverse, the operator would swing the lever forward and press to the left so that the forward point E of the plate E would clear the point N and the wall of the' recess K would guide the plate E therein.

Upon reference to the drawings, it will be noted that slight spaces intervene between the ends E and E and the respective joints J and N which would allow the lever B to move slightly backward and forward and still be in neutral position but, upon a farther movement backward or forward, causing the lever to swing into one or another of the recesses, would cause the gear to be thrown accordingly.

While I have shown an apparatus illustrating a particular mechanical construction, the lever, obviously, may be mounted in a difierent manner, the essential feature of the operation of the lever being to give a lateral movement to the same as well as back and forth 'inoidentto throwing the gear into high, low, medium; reyers'e or 'neutral posicient device is itfiordedwhich willldisp ense WVith the usuztLdisadvztntages of the ordinary 7 gear 'slufts 1n Wh-Ichjthe usual 'H-selector plate is utilized. 7 .7 i v WhatI claim to he new' i s A'gea-i' shifting apparatus consisting ofaj sh fting lever-hay ng LIIDIVGISELlIDOVGIIlGIlt,

a dianiond-shaped plate mounted thereon, a

stationary plate having an opening therein cesses as the lever is sWung to different positions. r

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses. V HARVEY R. DE BRA.

' Witnesses: v v

V F. G. HOWLAND,

A; G. BENTON.

' Copies 0! this ptent 'm a y b obtained for five cents eaich, addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

' r v r washin tonm. c." 

